Plant-protector.



No. 650.024. Patented May 22, I900.

n A msams PLANT' PROTECTOR. (Application filed Fab. 6, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN 'ALPHEUSBIGGINS, or LAKELAND, FLORIDA.

fiLANT-PRQTECTQR tr mmer-mien forming part of Letters Patent no. 650,024, data May 22, ieo'o'. A'pplittion filed February 6, 1900- Serial No. 4,224. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, NORMAN ALPHEUS RIGF GINs, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lakeland, in the county of Polk'and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Plant-Protector, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to plant-protectors, and has for its object to provide an improved device of this character which is adjustable, so as to form a shield against winds and beating rains and also to form a shade, so as to protect the plants against the fierce rays of the sun, while at the same time to afford the required ventilation. It is furthermore designed to arrange the device so as to reflect the rays of the sun upon the plants, and thereby to increase the edect of such rays when the sun is partly covered by clouds.

With these and other objects in View the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the ac companyingdrawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended-claims, it being under stood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a plant-protector constructed in accordance with the present invention and in position to form a shield against wind and at the same time to expose the plant to the sun. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective View showing the device as adjusted to forma protection against beating rains. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View illustrating an ad justed position of the device to protect the plants against beating rains and to afiord an increased ventilation. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view illustrating the device as adjusted to shield the plants from the direct action of the rays of the sun. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 4.

Corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings are designated by like characters of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the present device comprises the opposite members 1 and 2, each of which is preferably formed from a single board or plankof suitable length to protect one or more plants, as may be desired. It will of course be understood that each of these members may comprise a frame which is covered with paper, cloth, or other suitable material without departing from the purpose of the invention.

, As clearly indicated in the drawings, the member- 1 is designed to be the fixed member and is provided with suitable pins or standards 3, which are secured to the inner side of the member and have their pointed ends 4 projecting at the lower edge of the member, so as to be driven into the ground and thereby support the device. The other member 2 is the movable member and with. the exception of the standards is a duplicate of the fixed member. The inner edges of these members are hingedly connected by means of a strip of canvas or other suitably strong and flexible material 5, which embraces the outer sides of the members and is connectedthereto by means of suitable fastenings 6. Although this is the preferred manner of hingedly connecting the mem bers, it will of course be understood that any other form of hinge may be employed so long as the pivot thereof is located at the outer sides of the members.

An important object of the present invention is to hold the movable member in an angularly-disposed position with respect to the fixed member, so as to form a shieldagainst the rays of the sun, and without the employment of separate supports or braces for the movable member. To carry out this design, the inner hingedly-connected edges of the members are mitered, as indicated at 7, so, that these beveled edges may abut and form a stop to support the movable member in an angular position at theinner side of the fixed member, as best shown in Fig. 5 of the draw- 5 ings. It will now be apparent that it is important to have the pivot of the hinged connection at the outer sides of the members, so that the latter may not swing together in their angularly related and operative pomo sitions. The angle of the beveled abutting edges of the hingedly-connected members may be varied so as to accommodate the (le lar application of the protector.

In the application of the device to protect the plants against a wind and at the-same time to expose the same to the sun, the protector is located at the windward side of the plants and the movable member 2 folded over against the outer side of the fixed member,

as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, said fixed member being preferably in an upright position, although it may be inclined, if desired. This folding of the members back to back is accomplished by reason of the fact that the pivot of the hinged connection of the members is located at the outer sidesot the latter. In Fig. 2 the lower edges of both members engagethe ground, so as to form an A shajped tent structure to entirely cover the plant and protect the latter against beating rains and frost. Insome instances it may be desired to elevate the movable member slightly above the ground, so as to afiorda greater ventilation, and this object may be accomplish'edby means of one or more short stakes, which are driven into the ground so as to support the free edge of therhovable member, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings." To form a shade for protecting the plants against the direct action of the rays of the sun, the device is adjusted as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the fixed member assuming a substantially-upright position with the movable member supported at an angle thereto by means of the abutting mi-tered edges thereof, so that the movable member forms a cover for the plant and the latter'is exposed to the free circulation of air.

"From the foregoing descriptionit will be apparent that the present invention provides a li-ght and durable protector, which may be readily transported from place to place as req'u ired for use, and maybe readily transferred from one side of the plants to the other and also adjusted to meet the existing conditions ofany particular application.

closed by a board or a few shovel-fuls of earth. Also the entire protector'may be covered with earth, so as to effectually protect the plants against severe frosts, and at the same time s the plants are not subjected to the weight of the earth nor damaged thereby in any mannerwhatsoever.

Having described the invention, I claim- 1. A plant-protector, comprising a pair of hingedly-connectedmembers, one of the lat- U ter. abutting upon the other when brought to a certain angle therewith, and thereby supported in such position.- -2.- A pla-nt-protector, comprising a pair of hingedly connected members, which have their adjacent edges ,mitered, the mitered edge of one of the members abutting upon the mi tered edge of the other member when brought .to a certain angle therewith, and thereby supportedin such position.

3. A plant-protector, comprising a pair of members, which have their adjacent edge portions hingedly connected by an outer flexible hinge-strap embracing the outer sides of the adjacent portions of the members, and also closing the space between the hinged portions, the hinged edge of one of thememhers abutting upon the other when brought to a certain angle therewith, and thereby supported in such position.

'4. A plant-protector, comprising a fixed member, having supporting-legs projecting at the lower edge there'of,.the upper edge of the member being mi-tc'red inwardly and downwardly,- a second movable member having its upper edge parallel withthe upper edge of the fixed member, and mitered to correspond therewith, and a hinged connection for the mitered edges of the members, the mitered edge oi the movable member abutting upon the other when brought to a certain angle therewith, and thereby supported in such position.

In testimonythat I claim the foregoingas my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

7 NORMAN ALPHEUS RIGGINS. Witnesses-z 0'. W. WAGGONER, O. G. ARENDELL.

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